Meanings
comparative more turbulent · superlative most turbulent
- Violently disturbed or agitated; tempestuous, tumultuous.
It is dangerous to sail in turbulent seas.
- Being in, or causing, disturbance or unrest.
The mid-19th century was a turbulent time in American history.
1 more example
The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account. That is a very American position.
2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivecharacterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
adjective(of a liquid) agitated vigorously; in a state of turbulence
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinturbulentus
- Middle Frenchturbulent
- Middle Englishturbulent
- Englishturbulent
From Middle English turbulent, from Middle French turbulent, from Latin turbulentus, from turba (“disorder, tumult, crowd”).
More words from Middle English, Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian бурен, развълнуван
- бурен (buren)violently disturbed or agitated
- развълнуван (razvălnuvan)violently disturbed or agitated
- буен (buen)being in disturbance or unrest
- необуздан (neobuzdan)being in disturbance or unrest
Danish turbulent
- turbulentviolently disturbed or agitated
Finnish turbulenttinen, myrskyisä
- turbulenttinenviolently disturbed or agitated
- myrskyisäviolently disturbed or agitated
- turbulenttibeing in disturbance or unrest
- myllertäväbeing in disturbance or unrest
- melskeinenbeing in disturbance or unrest
French mouvementé
- mouvementéviolently disturbed or agitated
Latin turbulentus, turbulentus
- turbulentusviolently disturbed or agitated
- turbulentusbeing in disturbance or unrest
Māori tuarangaranga
- tuarangarangaviolently disturbed or agitated
Norwegian Bokmål turbulent, turbulent
- turbulentviolently disturbed or agitated
- turbulentbeing in disturbance or unrest
Persian متلاطم
- متلاطم (motalâtem)violently disturbed or agitated
Portuguese turbulento, atribulado
- turbulentoviolently disturbed or agitated
- atribuladoviolently disturbed or agitated
- agitadoviolently disturbed or agitated
- turbulentobeing in disturbance or unrest
- atribuladobeing in disturbance or unrest
- agitadobeing in disturbance or unrest
Romanian turbulent
- turbulentviolently disturbed or agitated
Russian бу́рный, беспоко́йный
- бу́рный (búrnyj)violently disturbed or agitated
- беспоко́йный (bespokójnyj)violently disturbed or agitated
- беспоко́йный (bespokójnyj)being in disturbance or unrest
Spanish tempestuoso, agitado
- tempestuosoviolently disturbed or agitated
- agitadoviolently disturbed or agitated
- accidentadoviolently disturbed or agitated
- turbulentoviolently disturbed or agitated
- tempestuosobeing in disturbance or unrest
- agitadobeing in disturbance or unrest
- accidentadobeing in disturbance or unrest
- turbulentobeing in disturbance or unrest
Swedish turbulent, turbulent
- turbulentviolently disturbed or agitated
- turbulentbeing in disturbance or unrest
Ukrainian бурхли́вий, неспокі́йний
- бурхли́вий (burxlývyj)violently disturbed or agitated
- неспокі́йний (nespokíjnyj)violently disturbed or agitated
- турбуле́нтний (turbuléntnyj)violently disturbed or agitated
- бурхли́вий (burxlývyj)being in disturbance or unrest
Cite this entry
turbulent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turbulent
“turbulent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turbulent. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “turbulent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turbulent.
Source: turbulent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.